Deputy Pa DalyTHE Sinn Féin TD for Kerry has called on government to urgently intervene to ensure that children in Kerry have access to the dental care they need.
Deputy Daly called on them to adopt Sinn Féin’s proposals for the the major reform of dental care. Deputy Daly made the comments in relation to figures he received from the HSE following a question to the Minister for Health.
“More than 3,000 schoolchildren [in Kerry] are currently waiting to be called for a dental screening appointment, while 350 children in Killarney and East Kerry have been left waiting since the previous school year,” he said.
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“That means some children have been waiting well over a year for a routine assessment that could identify problems before they become serious.
“This is not a minor delay. It is a clear sign of a service struggling to cope with demand. Early intervention is one of the most important factors in protecting children’s oral health, yet thousands of Kerry children are being left in limbo while waiting lists continue to grow.”
“Particularly alarming is the situation in Killarney and East Kerry, where the HSE itself acknowledges that delays are most pronounced. Despite this being a known issue, 350 children from last year’s cohort remain unassessed and more than 1,000 additional children from the current school year are also awaiting screening.”
“The pressure on services is reflected in the staffing numbers. An entire county service is being delivered by just 7.2 whole-time equivalent general dentists and 1.6 senior dentists, with many staff working part-time, while a recent recruitment campaign for an additional senior dentist failed to fill the post.”
:Perhaps most concerning of all, 228 children are currently waiting for dental treatment under general anaesthetic, including 195 at University Hospital Kerry. No child should have to endure prolonged pain, discomfort or deteriorating oral health because the system cannot provide treatment when it is needed.”
“These figures should be a wake-up call. Children and their families deserve timely access to preventative and restorative dental care. Instead, they are being confronted with mounting delays, growing backlogs and a service stretched beyond its limits,” he added.
Last month Sinn Fein introduced a motion which set out sets out what is believes are the necessary steps that must be taken to reduce years-long waiting lists for children who need preventive and corrective care; deliver good public dental services, including a public-only dentist contract; and ensure children get dental screening when they are in primary school.
“Dental care is essential healthcare. Children should not be waiting years for braces and families should not be forced to pay privately for the Government’s failures. The Government must act now to build a modern, public, accessible dental service,” said Deputy Daly.
